Born in Japan on October 20, 1997, Daizen Maeda is a talented forward who primarily features as a left winger for Celtic. Sturdily built standing at 5ft 8in (1.73m) tall and tipping the scales at 10st 9lb (68kg), Maeda is also an established figure within the Japanese national squad. He proudly dons the number 38 jersey for his club.
According to Transfermarkt, Maeda's market value stands approximately at £13.5m.
Maeda embarked on his professional journey with Japanese outfit Matsumoto Yamaga in January 2016, making a commendable nine appearances in his debut season. A two-year stint with Matsumoto Yamaga saw Maeda make 18 appearances and score two goals in the 2019 season.
Come January 2017, Maeda plied his trade with Mito Hollyhock in the Japan's second-tier J2 League on a loan deal from Matsumoto Yamaga. There, he made 20 appearances and netted eight goals. After his loan spell, Maeda returned to Matsumoto Yamaga in January 2018.
July 2019 marked another turning point in Maeda's career as he crossed international waters and joined Portuguese side Marítimo on a loan deal. The season 2019-2020 saw him make 23 appearances and score three goals.
Maeda then returned to Japan to join Yokohama F. Marinos in August 2020 for an undisclosed fee. He scored three goals in 23 appearances in the 2020 season and had the net bulging 23 times in the 2021 season, courtesy of his 36 appearances.
Maeda's talent and performances caught the attention of Scottish giants Celtic, leading to a loan move to the club in January 2022. Showing great promise for the Hoops, he was able to score six goals in 16 appearances in his debut season.
In recognition of his contributions, Yokohama F. Marinos sold him to Celtic in July 2022 for a fee of roughly £1.4m. He has since played 126 league matches for Celtic across various seasons, notching up 41 goals in the process. In the current 2025-2026 season, Maeda has already scored five goals and made 13 appearances.
Besides his club football, Maeda has also featured in prominent competitions like the Champions League and the Europa League for Celtic, as well as the World Cup Qualifiers for Japan, managing to find the back of the net in each.
As the years roll on, Maeda continues to mature as a player and contribute to his team with the same determination and spirit which has characterised his Celtic career to date.
